Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced a fresh move of reproachment geared towards bringing back runaway members in the Sahel region, namely, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, who dumped the 59-year-old body last year over irreconcilable differences.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, newly elected President of Senegal and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, his Togolese counterpart, are to lead the fresh initiatives to bring the countries, which exited the sub-regional bloc in 2023 over the tough stance taken against them over the military coups that took place in their countries, as ECOWAS insisted on restoration of civil rule.
The development is coming on the heels of the re-election of President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government (AEHSG), on Tuesday, at its 65th Ordinary Session on Sunday in Abuja, “following the decision of the leaders to ensure continuity and consistency in meeting targets on security, reconciliation, and development.”
Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesman, said Tinubu, who was first elected to the position in Guinea-Bissau on July 9, 2023, in accepting the extension of his role, had pledged to focus on consolidating the values of democracy and upholding the interest of the regional body, which would clock 50 years in 2025.
Part of his statement, read: “The Chairman of ECOWAS appointed the President of Senegal, His Excellency, Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the President of Togo, His Excellency, Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, as Special Envoys to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic.
“I have appointed the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to please become our Special Envoy to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, along with the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, to do around the clock work with our brothers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic, and to coordinate with me and the ECOWAS Commission, where necessary.
“I have accepted to continue the service to the great members and the great minds that are committed to democratic values and our journey in the region. I will continue to serve our interest and build on democratic values and the structure that we inherited. Thank you very much.’’
The statement, recalled how Tinubu had earlier called on Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to work towards the establishment and sustenance of a regional standby force for the security and economic advancement of the community, while emphasising the expediency of a standby force in the face of growing security threats in the region.